15 June 1937

Dear Dad:

This morning I was detailed to lead a formation of five Furies. We taxied out and too off information.

Flt. Lieut. McCulloch, C.O. of our flight, wanted me to lead the fighter flight back over the aerodrome so that he could see what kind of a formation we could produce.

I signalled for a turn and round we went and I came out and pointed towards the aerodrome at 1,000 feet. I waggled my wings - a signal to close up plenty and we shot over the aerodrome in perfect formation and with enough noise to shake the hangars. After an hour and a quarter practise we went back and landed. McCulloch was quite pleased with our efforts.

This morning he ordered us into his office and he took out the official order for formation flying from Group Headquarters, which stated two spans apart. He said to inwardly digest this in case we were ever asked by a brass-hat. "However," says he, "we're not doing that here. We want it a real fighter flight - so we do it at half a span apart."

If you think it easy to fly formation flying, try it. Planes bob up and down and you must go with it. Throttle is opened and closed very coarsely the whole time you are flying.

This afternoon two of us flew off in formation to the ground targets and did "air-to-ground" practise with camera guns. A stall turn at 1,000 feet and a vertical dive with the engine on to 100 feet - press the triggers and up and away.

As you may imagine, you build up quite a speed in a Fury in a dive. Also,ä it is not nice aiming, firing, and at the same time judging your height and being able to pull out at the right time. I came down to about fifty feet in one dive today. I didn't breathe easily again till 1 1/2 seconds.

Love Bill
Two of our lads tore undercarriages off on the
last term, so we look sharp.